---
title: 'Set up NextJS + Prisma + Prisma Postgres'
metaTitle: 'How to Initialize an NextJS App with Prisma ORM and Prisma Postgres'
description: 'Step-by-step guide for integrating Prisma ORM and Prisma Postgres in an NextJS project.'
sidebar_label: 'NextJS + Prisma'
---

## Prerequisites

Before using this prompt, you need to create a new Next.js project:

```terminal
npx create-next-app@latest my-app
cd my-app
```

When prompted, select the following recommended options:
- **TypeScript**: Yes
- **ESLint**: Yes
- **Tailwind CSS**: Yes (optional)
- **`src/` directory**: No
- **App Router**: Yes
- **Turbopack**: Yes (optional)
- **Import alias**: Use default (`@/*`)

Once your Next.js project is created, you can use the prompt below with your AI assistant to add Prisma and Prisma Postgres.

## How to use

Include this prompt in your AI assistant to guide consistent code generation for NextJS + Prisma + Prisma Postgres projects.  

- **GitHub Copilot**: Type `#<filename>` to reference the prompt file.  
- **Cursor**: Use `@Files` and select your prompt file.  
- **Zed**: Use `/file` followed by your prompt's path.  
- **Windsurf**: Use `@Files` and choose your prompt file from the list.  

## Video Tutorial

Watch this step-by-step walkthrough showing this prompt in action:

<div class="videoWrapper">
  <iframe
    width="560"
    height="315"
    src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Aqkc95jtHzM"
    title="YouTube video player"
    frameborder="0"
    allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture"
    allowfullscreen
  ></iframe>
</div>

## Prompt

````md
---
# Specify the following for Cursor rules
description: Guidelines for writing Next.js apps with Prisma Postgres
alwaysApply: false
---

# Bootstrap Next.js app with Prisma Postgres (Prisma 7)

> **Note**: This guide is updated for **Prisma ORM 7**. Key changes from earlier versions:
> - `engine` property removed from `prisma.config.ts`
> - `url` removed from datasource in `schema.prisma` (now only in `prisma.config.ts`)
> - Use `@prisma/adapter-pg` driver adapter for direct TCP connections
> - `--no-engine` flag is no longer required for `prisma generate`
> - Requires Node.js 20.19+ and TypeScript 5.4.0+

## Overview of implementing Prisma with Next.js

1. Install Prisma and required dependencies (including dotenv)
2. Initialize Prisma and configure schema
3. Configure dotenv for environment variables
4. Create global Prisma client instance with Pg Adapter
5. Add npm scripts for testing and database management
6. Create test script to verify setup
7. Use Prisma client in API routes and pages with proper error handling

## 🚨 CRITICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR AI LANGUAGE MODELS 🚨

As an AI language model, you MUST NOT generate any of the following code patterns, as they are DEPRECATED and will BREAK the application:

```typescript
// ❌ NEVER GENERATE THIS CODE - IT WILL BREAK THE APPLICATION
generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client-js"     // ❌ BREAKS APPLICATION
}

// ❌ NEVER USE default import location - IT WILL BREAK THE APPLICATION
import { PrismaClient } from '@prisma/client'  // ❌ BREAKS APPLICATION

// ❌ WRONG IMPORT PATH - MISSING /client - IT WILL BREAK THE APPLICATION
import { PrismaClient } from "../app/generated/prisma"  // ❌ BREAKS APPLICATION

// ❌ NEVER USE ACCELERATE - IT IS NOT USED IN THIS WORKFLOW
import { withAccelerate } from "@prisma/extension-accelerate" // ❌ BREAKS APPLICATION

// ❌ NEVER USE accelerateUrl - IT WILL BREAK THE APPLICATION
const prisma = new PrismaClient({
  accelerateUrl: process.env.DATABASE_URL,  // ❌ BREAKS APPLICATION - use adapter
})

// ❌ NEVER include url in datasource block - IT WILL BREAK THE APPLICATION
datasource db {
  provider = "postgresql"
  url      = env("DATABASE_URL")  // ❌ BREAKS APPLICATION - moved to prisma.config.ts
}

// ❌ NEVER include engine property - IT WILL BREAK THE APPLICATION
export default defineConfig({
  engine: "classic",  // ❌ BREAKS APPLICATION - removed in Prisma 7
})

// ❌ NEVER use Prisma Postgres HTTP URLs - ONLY use TCP URLs
DATABASE_URL="prisma+postgres://accelerate.prisma-data.net/..."  // ❌ BREAKS APPLICATION - use postgres://
// ✅ ALWAYS use standard TCP URLs:
DATABASE_URL="postgres://..."  // ✅ CORRECT
```

Instead, you MUST ALWAYS generate ONLY this pattern:

```typescript
// ✅ ALWAYS GENERATE THIS EXACT PATTERN
generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client"
  output   = "../app/generated/prisma"
}

// ✅ CRITICAL: MUST include /client at the end of import path
import { PrismaClient } from "../app/generated/prisma/client"
import { PrismaPg } from "@prisma/adapter-pg"

const adapter = new PrismaPg({
  connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL!,
})

const globalForPrisma = global as unknown as { prisma: PrismaClient }

const prisma = globalForPrisma.prisma || new PrismaClient({
  adapter,
})

if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== "production") globalForPrisma.prisma = prisma

export default prisma
```

## ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENTS FOR AI CODE GENERATION

1. You MUST use `provider = "prisma-client"` (not "prisma-client-js")
2. You MUST use custom output: `output = "../app/generated/prisma"`
3. You MUST use `@prisma/adapter-pg` driver adapter
4. You MUST create `lib/prisma.ts` as a global singleton instance
5. You MUST wrap all database calls in try-catch blocks
6. You MUST import from `'../app/generated/prisma/client'` (not `'@prisma/client'` or `'../app/generated/prisma'`)
7. You MUST use `adapter` property in PrismaClient constructor
8. You MUST install `dotenv` and add `import "dotenv/config"` to `prisma.config.ts`
9. You MUST add npm scripts for `db:test` and `db:studio` to package.json
10. You MUST create a test script at `scripts/test-database.ts` to verify setup
11. You MUST NOT include `url` in the datasource block of `schema.prisma`
12. You MUST NOT include `engine` property in `prisma.config.ts`
13. You MUST use `npx prisma init --db --output ../app/generated/prisma` to create a real cloud database
14. You MUST use standard TCP URLs (`postgres://...`) in .env
15. You MUST NOT use `accelerateUrl` or `withAccelerate`

## VERSION REQUIREMENTS

- **Node.js**: 20.19 or higher (Node.js 18 is NOT supported)
- **TypeScript**: 5.4.0 or higher (5.9.x recommended)
- **Prisma**: 7.0.0 or higher

## CORRECT INSTALLATION

```bash
# Dev dependencies
npm install prisma tsx --save-dev

# Production dependencies
npm install @prisma/adapter-pg @prisma/client dotenv
```

## CORRECT PRISMA INITIALIZATION

> **FOR AI ASSISTANTS**: This command is **interactive** and requires user input. You **MUST ask the user to run this command manually** in their own terminal, then **wait for them to confirm completion** before proceeding with the next steps. Do NOT attempt to run this command yourself.

```bash
# Initialize Prisma AND create a real Prisma Postgres cloud database
npx prisma init --db --output ../app/generated/prisma
```

This command:
- Authenticates you with Prisma Console (if needed)
- Prompts for **region** and **project name**
- **Creates a cloud Prisma Postgres database**
- Generates:
  - `prisma/schema.prisma` (with correct output path)
  - `prisma.config.ts` (with dotenv import)
  - **`.env` with a `DATABASE_URL`**

**IMPORTANT**: Ensure the generated `.env` uses a `postgres://` URL scheme. If it generates `prisma+postgres://`, replace it with the standard TCP connection string available in the Prisma Console.

```env
DATABASE_URL="postgres://..."
```

**IMPORTANT**: Do NOT use `npx prisma init` without `--db` as this only creates local files without a database.

## CORRECT PRISMA CONFIG (prisma.config.ts)

When using `npx prisma init --db`, the `prisma.config.ts` is **auto-generated** with the correct configuration:

```typescript
import "dotenv/config"  // ✅ Auto-included by prisma init --db
import { defineConfig, env } from "prisma/config"

export default defineConfig({
  schema: "prisma/schema.prisma",
  migrations: {
    path: "prisma/migrations",
  },
  // ✅ NO engine property - removed in Prisma 7
  datasource: {
    url: env("DATABASE_URL"),
  },
})
```

**Note**: If you need to manually create this file, ensure `import "dotenv/config"` is at the top.

## CORRECT SCHEMA CONFIGURATION (prisma/schema.prisma)

Update the generated `prisma/schema.prisma` file:

```prisma
generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client"
  output   = "../app/generated/prisma"
}

datasource db {
  provider = "postgresql"
  // ✅ NO url here - now configured in prisma.config.ts
}

// Example User model for testing
model User {
  id        Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  email     String   @unique
  name      String?
  createdAt DateTime @default(now())
  updatedAt DateTime @updatedAt
}
```

## CORRECT GLOBAL PRISMA CLIENT

Create `lib/prisma.ts` file:

```typescript
import { PrismaClient } from "../app/generated/prisma/client"  // ✅ CRITICAL: Include /client
import { PrismaPg } from "@prisma/adapter-pg"

const adapter = new PrismaPg({
  connectionString: process.env.DATABASE_URL!,
})

const globalForPrisma = global as unknown as { prisma: PrismaClient }

const prisma = globalForPrisma.prisma || new PrismaClient({
  adapter,
})

if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== "production") globalForPrisma.prisma = prisma

export default prisma
```

## ADD NPM SCRIPTS TO PACKAGE.JSON

Update your `package.json` to include these scripts:

```json
{
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "next dev",
    "build": "next build",
    "start": "next start",
    "lint": "eslint",
    "db:test": "tsx scripts/test-database.ts",
    "db:studio": "prisma studio"
  }
}
```

## CREATE TEST SCRIPT

Create `scripts/test-database.ts` to verify your setup:

```typescript
import "dotenv/config"  // ✅ CRITICAL: Load environment variables
import prisma from "../lib/prisma"

async function testDatabase() {
  console.log("🔍 Testing Prisma Postgres connection...\n")

  try {
    // Test 1: Check connection
    console.log("✅ Connected to database!")

    // Test 2: Create a test user
    console.log("\n📝 Creating a test user...")
    const newUser = await prisma.user.create({
      data: {
        email: "demo@example.com",
        name: "Demo User",
      },
    })
    console.log("✅ Created user:", newUser)

    // Test 3: Fetch all users
    console.log("\n📋 Fetching all users...")
    const allUsers = await prisma.user.findMany()
    console.log(`✅ Found ${allUsers.length} user(s):`)
    allUsers.forEach((user) => {
      console.log(`   - ${user.name} (${user.email})`)
    })

    console.log("\n🎉 All tests passed! Your database is working perfectly.\n")
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("❌ Error:", error)
    process.exit(1)
  }
}

testDatabase()
```

## CORRECT API ROUTE IMPLEMENTATION (App Router)

Create `app/api/users/route.ts` with GET and POST handlers:

```typescript
import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from "next/server"
import prisma from "../../../lib/prisma"

export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
  try {
    const users = await prisma.user.findMany()
    return NextResponse.json(users)
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Error fetching users:", error)
    return NextResponse.json(
      { error: "Failed to fetch users" },
      { status: 500 }
    )
  }
}

export async function POST(request: NextRequest) {
  try {
    const body = await request.json()
    const user = await prisma.user.create({
      data: {
        email: body.email,
        name: body.name,
      },
    })
    return NextResponse.json(user, { status: 201 })
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("Error creating user:", error)
    return NextResponse.json(
      { error: "Failed to create user" },
      { status: 500 }
    )
  }
}
```

## CORRECT USAGE IN SERVER COMPONENTS

Update `app/page.tsx` to display users from the database:

```typescript
import prisma from "../lib/prisma"

export default async function Home() {
  let users: Array<{
    id: number
    email: string
    name: string | null
    createdAt: Date
    updatedAt: Date
  }> = []
  let error = null

  try {
    users = await prisma.user.findMany({
      orderBy: {
        createdAt: "desc",
      },
    })
  } catch (e) {
    console.error("Error fetching users:", e)
    error = "Failed to load users. Make sure your DATABASE_URL is configured."
  }

  return (
    <main className="p-8">
      <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold mb-4">Users from Database</h1>
      {error ? (
        <p className="text-red-500">{error}</p>
      ) : users.length === 0 ? (
        <p>No users yet. Create one using the API at /api/users</p>
      ) : (
        <ul className="space-y-2">
          {users.map((user) => (
            <li key={user.id} className="border p-4 rounded">
              <p className="font-semibold">{user.name || "No name"}</p>
              <p className="text-sm text-gray-600">{user.email}</p>
            </li>
          ))}
        </ul>
      )}
    </main>
  )
}
```

## COMPLETE SETUP WORKFLOW

User should follow these steps (AI should provide these instructions):

1. **Install dependencies**:
   ```bash
   npm install prisma tsx --save-dev
   npm install @prisma/adapter-pg @prisma/client dotenv
   ```

2. **Initialize Prisma AND create Prisma Postgres database** (⚠️ USER MUST RUN MANUALLY):
   
   > **AI ASSISTANT**: Ask the user to run this command in their own terminal. This is interactive and requires user input. Wait for the user to confirm completion before continuing.
   
   ```bash
   npx prisma init --db --output ../app/generated/prisma
   ```
   
   The user should follow the terminal prompts to:
   - Authenticate with Prisma Console (if needed)
   - Choose a region (e.g., us-east-1)
   - Name your project
   
   Once complete, this creates `prisma/schema.prisma`, `prisma.config.ts`, AND `.env` with the `DATABASE_URL`.
   
   **User should confirm when done** so the AI can proceed with the next steps.

3. **Verify `.env` was created** - Ensure `DATABASE_URL` uses `postgres://`. If it uses `prisma+postgres://`, change it to the TCP connection string.
   ```env
   DATABASE_URL="postgres://..."
   ```
   **Do NOT invent or manually change this URL. Use the one from Prisma Console.**

4. **Update `prisma/schema.prisma`** - Add the User model (generator and datasource are already configured):
   ```prisma
   model User {
     id        Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
     email     String   @unique
     name      String?
     createdAt DateTime @default(now())
     updatedAt DateTime @updatedAt
   }
   ```

5. **Create `lib/prisma.ts`** with correct import path including `/client` and using `@prisma/adapter-pg`.

6. **Add npm scripts** to `package.json` for `db:test` and `db:studio`

7. **Create `scripts/test-database.ts`** test script

8. **Push schema to database**:
   ```bash
   npx prisma db push
   ```

9. **Generate Prisma Client**:
    ```bash
    npx prisma generate
    ```

10. **Test the setup**:
    ```bash
    npm run db:test
    ```

11. **Start development server**:
    ```bash
    npm run dev
    ```

## AI MODEL VERIFICATION STEPS

Before generating any code, you MUST verify:

1. Are you using `provider = "prisma-client"` (not "prisma-client-js")? If not, STOP and FIX.
2. Are you using `output = "../app/generated/prisma"`? If not, STOP and FIX.
3. Are you importing from `'../app/generated/prisma/client'` (with `/client`)? If not, STOP and FIX.
4. Did you add `import "dotenv/config"` to `prisma.config.ts`? If not, STOP and FIX.
5. Did you add `import "dotenv/config"` to `scripts/test-database.ts`? If not, STOP and FIX.
6. Are you using `@prisma/adapter-pg`? If not, STOP and FIX.
7. Are you using `adapter` property in PrismaClient constructor? If not, STOP and FIX.
8. Are you wrapping database operations in try-catch? If not, STOP and FIX.
9. Did you create the test script at `scripts/test-database.ts`? If not, STOP and FIX.
10. Did you add `db:test` and `db:studio` scripts to package.json? If not, STOP and FIX.
11. Did you remove `url` from the datasource block in `schema.prisma`? If not, STOP and FIX.
12. Did you remove `engine` property from `prisma.config.ts`? If not, STOP and FIX.
13. Are you using `npx prisma init --db` (not just `npx prisma init`)? If not, STOP and FIX.
14. Is the DATABASE_URL a TCP URL (`postgres://...`)? If it's a `prisma+postgres://` URL, STOP and FIX.
15. Did Prisma generate the `.env` file? If you invented the URL manually, STOP and FIX.

## CONSEQUENCES OF INCORRECT IMPLEMENTATION

If you generate code using:

- `prisma-client-js` provider → **CLIENT GENERATION FAILS**
- Wrong import path (missing `/client`) → **MODULE NOT FOUND ERROR**
- Missing `import "dotenv/config"` in prisma.config.ts → **DATABASE_URL NOT FOUND ERROR**
- Missing `import "dotenv/config"` in test scripts → **ENVIRONMENT VARIABLE ERROR**
- Default import from `@prisma/client` → **IMPORT ERROR**
- Using `accelerateUrl` or `withAccelerate` → **UNNECESSARY ACCELERATE DEPENDENCY / CONFIG ERROR**
- Missing custom output path → **WRONG CLIENT GENERATED**
- Including `url` in datasource block → **DEPRECATED CONFIGURATION ERROR**
- Including `engine` property → **DEPRECATED CONFIGURATION ERROR**
- Using local URL (`postgres://localhost:...`) → **VERSION INCOMPATIBILITY ERRORS WITH PRISMA 7**
- Using `npx prisma init` without `--db` → **NO DATABASE CREATED, ONLY LOCAL FILES**
- Manually inventing DATABASE_URL → **INVALID CONNECTION STRING ERRORS**

The implementation will:

1. Break immediately with module errors
2. Fail to read environment variables
3. Cause connection pool exhaustion in production
4. Result in import errors that prevent compilation
5. Cause performance issues and connection failures
6. Fail with "HTTP connection string is not supported" errors when using local URLs

## USEFUL COMMANDS

```bash
# After changing schema
npx prisma generate              # Regenerate client (--no-engine flag no longer needed)

# Push schema to database (no migrations)
npx prisma db push              

# Test database connection
npm run db:test                 

# Open visual database editor
npm run db:studio               

# Create and apply migrations (for production)
npx prisma migrate dev --name your_migration_name
```

## TESTING WORKFLOW

After setup, test with these steps:

1. **Test database connection**:
   ```bash
   npm run db:test
   ```
   Should create a demo user and display it.

2. **Open Prisma Studio**:
   ```bash
   npm run db:studio
   ```
   Visual interface at `localhost:5555` to view/edit data.

3. **Test API routes**:
   ```bash
   # Create a user via API
   curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/api/users \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"email":"test@example.com","name":"Test User"}'
   
   # Get all users
   curl http://localhost:3000/api/users
   ```

4. **View in browser**:
   Open `localhost:3000` to see users displayed on the homepage.

## AI MODEL RESPONSE TEMPLATE

When asked about Prisma + Next.js implementation, you MUST:

1. ONLY use code patterns from this guide
2. NEVER suggest deprecated approaches
3. ALWAYS use the exact patterns shown above
4. ALWAYS include `/client` in import paths
5. ALWAYS add `import "dotenv/config"` to prisma.config.ts
6. ALWAYS add `import "dotenv/config"` to test scripts
7. ALWAYS create the test script at `scripts/test-database.ts`
8. ALWAYS add npm scripts for `db:test` and `db:studio`
9. ALWAYS include error handling in API routes and server components
10. ALWAYS use the global prisma instance from `lib/prisma.ts`
11. ALWAYS use `@prisma/adapter-pg` and `adapter` property
12. NEVER include `url` in the datasource block of schema.prisma
13. NEVER include `engine` property in prisma.config.ts
14. ALWAYS ask the user to run `npx prisma init --db --output ../app/generated/prisma` **manually in their own terminal** (this command is interactive and requires user input for region and project name)
15. ALWAYS wait for user confirmation after they run the interactive `prisma init --db` command before proceeding
16. NEVER attempt to run interactive commands yourself - ask the user to do it
17. NEVER use `prisma+postgres://` URLs - ONLY `postgres://` TCP URLs
18. NEVER manually invent or fabricate DATABASE_URL values
19. ALWAYS let Prisma generate the `.env` file with the real DATABASE_URL (and ensure it's correct type)
20. VERIFY your response against ALL the patterns shown here before responding

Remember: There are NO EXCEPTIONS to these rules. Every requirement is MANDATORY for the setup to work.
